


Februwhump 2021

by Siivin



Category: Mystery Skulls Animated
Genre: Angst, Gen, Tags and warnings for individual chapters will be in chapter notes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-12 17:34:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29139366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siivin/pseuds/Siivin
Summary: A collection of prompts for the Februwhump 2021 challenge. Mostly short, unrelated oneshots. All MSA and all angst!
Comments: 5
Kudos: 28





	1. Mind Control

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Suicide attempt  
> Relationships: None

He felt a touch, feather-light against the back of his mind, a barely-there voice whispering “ _ this should do _ ”. He felt the faintest tingle of numbness beginning to suffuse his limbs, and he could have thrown up.

_ It was happening again.  _

His suddenly-ragged breathing must have caught Vivi’s attention, because she looked up from the device she was studying and frowned. 

“Arthur? Are you okay?” She looked at him in concern and all he could see was Lewis, turning to look at him with that same expression, Lewis, concern turning to shock and horror as Arthur reached out and  _ pushed _ , Lewis, falling -

“Don’t,” he managed, taking a shaking step backwards. His limbs fought his commands, the spirit doing its best to insert itself, but it was slow, slower than the other one, he still had time, he could fix this, he had to fix this it couldn’t happen again _ this couldn’t be happening again _ -

Vivi stood up immediately, worry now suffusing her face. “Arthur, what is it?” She asked urgently. “What’s wrong?” She took a step towards him and he immediately took another step backwards, bumping up against the door to the balcony of the house they were investigating. 

“Don’t!” he said again. “Don’t come near me, the - the spirit - it - it’s -” He couldn’t tell if his inability to speak was due to the spirit’s influence or just to the panic clawing its way up his throat. He couldn’t hear Vivi’s response over the roaring in his ears, the absolute, bone-deep terror making it impossible to think. He couldn’t do this again. He  _ wouldn’t _ do this again. He had to make it stop, he had to keep them  _ safe _ . 

No matter what. They had to be safe from him.

He stepped out onto the balcony. Three stories up. Would three stories do it? He only had one shot. It would have to be enough. The spirit was actively fighting him now, making his movements jerky and slow but he was fueled by pure desperate adrenaline and it was too slow. He could see over the edge of the balcony now. If the fall didn’t do it the wrought iron fence below him probably would, and wouldn’t that just be poetic? It all came full circle. He could feel hysterical laughter bubbling out of him. He couldn’t take this, he had to make it stop.

Vivi had backed up and was rifling through her bag. No doubt she had some book or spell that could fix this. But he couldn’t chance it, couldn’t wait that long, he might be selfish and cowardly but not in this, not again. He could see the second she looked up and realized what he was about to do, her expression morphing to one of horror as she abandoned her bag and sprinted towards him. The spirit was settling into his limbs now, hissing in frustration at the back of his mind, trying to force him away from the edge, but it was too late, he’s already over the railing. 

And then, all at once, the numbness suffusing his limbs was gone. “ _ Don’t, _ ” the whisper at the back of his mind said, sorrow and apology infusing the word, and then it too was gone, leaving him alone in his head once more. Arthur looked at Vivi, only a few steps away now. The panic was still choking him, the overwhelming fear and guilt and paranoia still weighing on his limbs. He couldn’t risk it. They  _ had _ to be safe. 

“I’m sorry,” he said, and let go. 

He only fell a few inches before his fall was halted abruptly, the force almost dislocating his flesh shoulder as Vivi grabbed his arm, almost following him over the railing before she was able to brace herself. 

“Vivi, please, you can’t,” Arthur pleaded. “It’s not - I’m not - you have to go.” Vivi clung to him ferociously, a scowl of concentration on her face as she strained to hold him.

“Don’t you dare,” she said fiercely. “Don’t you  _ dare _ .” Her grip tightened and before Arthur could respond, another hand reached over the railing and hauled him up like he weighed nothing. Lewis looked almost as panicked as Arthur felt as he set Arthur down and immediately herded him back into the room, hand clamped tightly around his arm. 

“Arthur? What the hell happened in here? Are you alright? Vivi, are you alright?” Lewis said, scanning them both with a worried look. Vivi was pale and shaken, and she looked devastated when she spoke. 

“Arthur, I am so sorry, I had no idea that this spirit would be capable of possession, or that it was malicious enough to make you do - that. This wasn’t supposed to be a hostile spirit! I would never have -” 

“You should have let me jump,” Arthur spat, wrenching his arm out of Lewis’s grip, and a shocked silence filled the room. Vivi and Lewis looked horrified, and Arthur looked away. 

“Let’s just go,” he said, turning and walking towards the door. 

He made it two steps before a weight collided with his back and Vivi’s arms wrapped around him, pinning him in place. “Nuh-uh,” she said, words only slightly muffled by the fact that she was speaking into the back of his neck. “Nope. We’re not doing this.” 

“Vivi,” Arthur said helplessly. Her grip only tightened. 

“Nope. We’re not doing the guilt thing anymore. Stop it.” 

“Vivi, it’s not safe! What if - what if I’d hurt you?” 

“What if it possessed me and hurt you? Would you have let me jump?” 

“No, of course not,” Arthur said, horrified. “But that’s . . .” he trailed off. 

“It’s not different,” Lewis said, floating into his field of vision, arms crossed. “Arthur, we care about you. That would  _ never _ be an okay option. We can help you, but only if you let us.” 

Vivi released him and he turned so he could face both of them. His heart clenched as he saw the glint of unshed tears in Vivi’s eyes. “I know,” he said, and he did, now that the panic and adrenaline were receding. His shoulders slumped as he realized just how stupid he’d nearly been. “I know. I’m sorry, I just - I was just scared. I’m sorry.”

Vivi scowled at him, effect marginally ruined as she wiped at her eyes. “Well next time _ think _ , dummy,” she said. “You really think we’re gonna let anything happen to you?”

“Besides,” Lewis said. “If I catch you saying something that dumb again, I’m telling your uncle and you’ll be grounded for the next ten years.” 

Arthur cracked a smile, the last of the tension fading from the room. “He can’t ground me, I’m an adult.” 

“Would that stop him?” 

“No,” Arthur admitted. “Alright. No more stupid shit, I got it.” 

“You’d better,” Vivi muttered darkly, and Arthur huffed a laugh. He still felt nervous and shaky - would for a while, certainly - and he still wasn’t completely sure he trusted himself. But he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he could trust his friends, and for right now, that could be enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was super nervous to post this but I've decided to commit. No guarantees that I'll actually finish this challenge in February, but I'm gonna give it a shot!


	2. "I can't take this anymore"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: None  
> Relationships: None

Vivi could tell the second she re-entered Tempo’s service area, because her phone started vibrating with notifications and didn’t stop.

She eyed the upcoming town and considered, not for the first time, simply driving straight past it. Just getting back on the highway and driving until she couldn’t anymore. Settling down and starting over somewhere new, where nobody knew her.

She sighed and turned onto the road leading into town. She wasn’t going to do it, of course. She would never leave her friends and family behind. But she had to admit, sometimes it was tempting. She snuck a glance at the phone stuck to her dashboard - 32 notifications in under six hours. God, she couldn’t keep doing this.

She reached over and turned the phone off in a fit of pique. Going for a drive had helped, but she still didn’t want to talk to anyone. The drive had helped clear her head, and now she was going to go home and enjoy the rest of her day off, alone, without being bothered. It would be delightful, and then tomorrow maybe she’d be able to deal with things a little better. 

Or maybe she’d spend the rest of the day convincing Arthur she wasn’t about to vanish, she thought with a sigh, recognizing a familiar van in her apartment’s parking lot as she pulled in. She immediately felt guilty about the thought. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see Arthur, and God knows he’s been having just as hard a time of it. She’d given him a key, told him to drop by whenever and that he was always welcome, and that was true but - goddamnit it hadn’t even been  _ six hours _ . 

She could hear his voice through the door as she approached, talking to Mystery no doubt. She pasted on a smile as she turned the knob, the voices inside falling silent as she flung the door open. “Hey guys!” She said brightly, hoping to cover the consternation in her voice. 

Sure enough, Arthur and Mystery were sitting on the couch, apparently in mid-conversation. Arthur visibly brightened when he saw her, but Mystery was glaring at her. Oh, she was definitely in for another lecture.

Arthur smiled back, clearly relieved. “Hey Vi. Sorry, you weren’t answering so I figured I’d just hang out for a while.” 

“Yeah, I went for a drive, I didn’t have service for most of it,” Vivi said. 

“You should have taken me with you,” Mystery said disapprovingly. “Or at least told me you were leaving.” 

Vivi’s smile tightened. “Well, it was a spur of the moment thing.” 

“Are you feeling okay? Did anything happen?” Arthur said, fingers tapping an anxious beat against the back of her couch. “Sorry,” he added, apparently catching sight of something in her expression. “I just - worry.” 

“And rightfully so,” Mystery said. “We’re all worried, Vivi. You need to be careful.”

She opened her mouth to dismiss his statement. It wasn’t worth getting into. Just dodge and redirect, and get through one more day of this. So it was a little surprising when what came out instead was “God  _ damn _ it you two, this is why I fucking left! I can’t take this anymore!” 

Whoops. Apparently they were getting into it today after all. The twin looks of shock on Arthur and Mystery would have been funny if she hadn’t been so suddenly furious. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound, Vivi decided, and continued. 

“I am not a child! I am a grown-ass woman who can manage one day on her own! I’m - I’m not broken, or whatever everyone seems to think!” She pulled her phone out of her pocket and turned it on, waving it around as she continued to rant. 

“I don’t need everyone hovering over me like I’m going to suddenly lose it. Look at this! I was gone for six hours this morning and I have - let’s see. Four missed calls from my mom. Three from you and one from my dad. One from Mrs. Pepper and two from friends, ‘cause my mom called them when I didn’t pick up. Six voicemails, and over twenty texts from everyone altogether.” She thrust the phone into Arthur’s face as if to prove the point. “In six. Hours.” 

Mystery spoke first, while Arthur was still processing the onslaught. “Vivi, you must understand we’re simply concerned about you,” he said, tail tucked tightly around his body. “We still don’t know what caused your memory loss. If it were to happen again, or -” 

“It’s been over a month! If anything else were going to happen it would have by now, right? And I don’t know. Maybe it’s trauma, like the doctors said. Maybe it’s something else. And I’m sorry that it happened and I’m sorry that you’re worried, but I’m not gonna put my life on hold while we figure it out, okay?” 

Mystery looked like he was going to argue, but Arthur spoke up first. “No, I get it,” he said softly. “And I’m sorry. I just panicked, I guess.” 

The rage left as quickly as it had come and Vivi collapsed onto the couch next to him, leaning her head against his unscarred shoulder. “Ugh, now I feel bad,” she said. “I’m sorry. I know you’re going through shit too, I shouldn’t have yelled at you.” 

“No, you’re right,” Arthur said. “And you know, I get it, I - I’m not as fragile as people seem to think either. I worry, but . . . I do trust you. Sorry for freaking out.” 

“No, I’m sorry,” Vivi said. She paused, chewing her lip while she tried to figure out what she wanted to say. “It’s just . . . everyone keeps walking on eggshells around me. You know my parents are still trying to get me to move back in with them? Mystery barely lets me leave the apartment by myself,” she shot a look at the dog, who just sniffed sanctimoniously and looked away, “and the Peppers keep calling to check up on me which is so, so nice of them but it just makes me feel even guiltier that . . . I feel fine. I really do.” 

“And I can’t even really be mad, because everyone else is so devastated, right? And I’m  _ not _ . And it feels so ungrateful to be mad about people being worried about me, but it’s so infuriating! But I can’t say anything! Because they’re grieving something I can’t even remember and it’s not like I’m just gonna go around throwing it in their face!” 

“But . . . you do want to remember, right?” Arthur asked hesitantly. 

“Of course I do!” Vivi said. “I hate this! I hate knowing that something just - took away a huge chunk of my life. I hate seeing everyone else like this and not even being able to feel anything about it. I want my memories back more than anything. But I also want people to stop treating me like I’m made of glass, you know?”

“I know,” Arthur said. “Hey.” He twined his remaining hand with hers and squeezed gently. “We’re gonna do it, okay?” he said earnestly. “We’re gonna find him, and we’re gonna get your memories back.” He looked so intent, like he couldn’t imagine a world in which they would fail.

Vivi grinned back at him. “Damn straight we are!” she said. “But in the meantime . . . do you think we could try going for at least eight hours before knocking down my door looking for me?” 

Arthur laughed. It was quiet, but it was probably the first real one she’d heard out of him since the incident, and she tried to hide the joy that shot through her at the sound. “Okay. Eight hours. But after that, I’m getting the battering ram out.” 

“Okay, fair enough. Mystery?” Vivi said, fixing him with a stern look. 

“. . . fine. As long as you’re careful.” Mystery said. He didn’t look happy and she had her suspicions about his intent to follow through, but it would do for now. 

“Awesome!” Vivi said, sprawling back across the couch cushion and reaching for the remote. “So since you’re here, you wanna watch a movie or something?” 

“Nah, I should get going,” Arthur said. “I’m working on a new project actually. For, y’know, for my arm.” His remaining arm twitched slightly towards the stump of his left, mostly hidden under his t-shirt. “And it’ll be a while before it’s ready or anything, but maybe if it works out . . . we could get back on the road?” 

Vivi brightened up. It was the first time either of them had brought up the topic since the incident, and she was excited - if not a little surprised - that Arthur wanted to get back into it so soon. “Yeah, that would be great!” she said, trying not to sound too enthusiastic. “When you’re ready, of course.” 

They lingered for a few minutes more before she saw him off, smiling as she closed the door behind him. This hadn’t been what she’d been planning for today but she had to admit that despite that, things seemed a lot brighter than they had a few hours ago. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At virtually all times I am thinking about Vivi Yukino


	3. Imprisonment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warnings: Major character death  
> Relationships: None

“I’m just saying,” Arthur muttered, peering darkly over Lewis’s shoulder as he inspected a rock formation. “This place creeps me out.” 

“Every place creeps you out though,” Lewis said affably. He straightened up, apparently content with whatever he’d been examining.

“Come on man! It’s a spooky cave shaped like a skull and filled with glowing green mist! How much creepier can you get?” Arthur kicked a rock, grimacing as it skittered noisily down the tunnel.

“The green mist is pretty weird,” Lewis conceded. “But that is why we’re checking this place out, right?” 

“Yeah, I guess,” Arthur said. There was no point in arguing. And he could feel a tingling numbness in his fingers that threatened a panic attack if he kept focusing on his own dread, and the last thing he needed right now was to bring this investigation to a screeching halt so he could sort his shit out. 

Of course, he wouldn’t have to if they would just listen to him for  _ once _ , he thought venomously. Then he shook his head, surprised at the thought. That wasn’t fair, he scolded himself. Lewis was right. They were there to check out weird phenomenon, of course it was gonna be creepy. Man, this place really was getting to him. 

Without warning, a bat burst out of the tunnel ahead of them, screeching loudly as it buzzed past just above their heads. Arthur yelped and ducked behind Lewis, who just laughed. 

“Just a bat,” he said. “I’ve seen a couple of them around, I bet this place is full of them! Must be a good habitat for them, right?” 

Arthur found himself suddenly biting back a scathing retort. Typical Lewis, always condescending to poor scared Arthur, right? Well one day he’d learn that Arthur didn’t need him around, and wouldn’t _ that _ be a fun day? He couldn’t wait to wipe that smug grin off his face.

Wait, no. That wasn’t right, what was he thinking? What was wrong with him? The numbness was spreading up his arm and he was beginning to feel sick. Maybe he should call a quick break, try and calm himself down before . . . whatever this attack was got worse. 

_ And give Lewis another reason to think you’re pathetic? _ His mind whispered.  _ He already thinks it. He underestimates you, thinks you’re weak. Wouldn’t it be so _ satisfying _ to prove him wrong? To show him how strong you really are? _

Something was wrong, something was horribly wrong. Arthur opened his mouth to call out to Lewis. To call for a break, to tell him what was happening. Whatever it was, they would figure it out, together, and things would be fine. 

He couldn’t make a sound. 

_ I don’t think we need to do that _ , the voice in his mind said. Not his voice, it wasn’t his voice at all, it was someone - some _ thing _ \- in his head with him, stopping him from speaking and whispering to him - he felt it chuckle and he shuddered at the cold, slithery sound. 

His thoughts racing, he didn’t notice that Lewis had stopped moving and Arthur almost walked straight into him before jerking himself to a halt at the last second. And thank god for that, Lewis was standing at the edge of a cliff, he could have - Arthur could have - 

_ Why, that’s a wonderful idea! _ , the voice told him with malicious cheer, and Arthur’s left hand raised of its own accord. 

No. No. This couldn’t be happening, Arthur thought through a haze of panic. He had to move, he had to stop this, to warn Lewis, to do  _ something _ . But as much as he struggled, his arm kept moving. He tried to shout, but his throat felt paralyzed, and all that came out was a choked-off gasp. 

Lewis turned at the sound, frowning in worry. He didn’t even have a chance to say anything before Arthur’s hand was at his chest and Arthur  _ felt _ it, felt his muscles tensing and shoving, felt the resistance of Lewis’s weight as he began to topple backwards, felt his arm keep pushing and pushing and  _ pushing  _ as Lewis’s expression turned to shock and then terror as he began to fall. 

Arthur was screaming in his head, this couldn’t be happening, it  _ couldn’t  _ be. He would have thrown up if he had any control; he thought he was crying but he wasn’t sure. The voice’s laughter echoed over and over in his head. This was a dream, a nightmare, he would wake up any second now. Someone would come to stop this, to stop the voice. To stop  _ him _ .

But nobody came. He didn’t wake up. He watched, laughing and sobbing, as Lewis hit the spikes with a wet crunch that he knew he would hear in his nightmares for the rest of his life. He tried to step back, but he’d lost all feeling in his legs as well as his arms now. 

_ None of that, _ the voice told him. Arthur barely processed it. Lewis was - he was - Arthur had - this was a dream. It had to be. Wake up, wake up, wake up, he chanted in his head. The voice laughed again. 

_ This is no dream, _ it said.  _ You’re stuck with me now and oh, you and I are going to have _ such _ fun together!  _ Arthur’s right arm came up and scrubbed at his face, removing the tear tracks on his cheeks. He felt his face relax into an easy grin. Arthur couldn’t even look around on his own any more, let alone control his limbs. He fought uselessly against the hold the thing had on him, but he couldn’t twitch so much as a muscle.

_ Starting, I think, with that mutt, _ the voice in his head thought viciously.  _ And then the girl. I’m sure we’ll think of something suitable to do about her. _

Arthur kept throwing himself against the thing’s hold, but it was no use. He could only watch, trapped in the back of his own mind, as the thing wearing his body strolled cheerfully towards his remaining friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sure they'll be fine. don't worry about it


	4. Impaling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warnings: Major character death, graphic depiction of injury

“Lewis?” Arthur said. His voice was soft and shocked, eyes wide as he stopped struggling and stared at the specter before him. 

Lewis let go.

Arthur didn’t scream, didn’t struggle. He just fell. In all the times Lewis had imagined this moment - and there had been many - Arthur had been crying, begging, pleading for his life like the coward he was. But there was no fear in Arthur’s expression now as he plunged towards the ground, only confusion. He didn’t look like a man facing his murder victim, or like a man facing his own death. 

He looked like a man who had just been thrown off a cliff by his best friend and who couldn’t understand  _ why _ . 

The smallest blossom of discomfort started to curl through the all-consuming rage as Lewis watched Arthur fall. This wasn’t how he had expected this to go. This wasn’t right, surely?

No. No, it didn’t matter. This was what he wanted. Arthur had murdered him, had taken  _ everything _ from him, had pretended to be his friend while all along plotting his death - Lewis cut off those thoughts with a growl. No, this was  _ exactly _ what the traitor deserved.

Still, he knew that he would never,  _ ever _ forget the sound that echoed through the cavern when Arthur met the spikes. 

Lewis surveyed the bloody scene impassively before turning away. Huh. He thought he would feel different when it was done. He thought he’d feel calmer, satisfied at knowing his death had been avenged. But he still felt exactly the same. He was still furious, he was still dead, he’d still had  _ everything _ taken from him! The rage still boiled beneath the surface, practically choking him, threatening to slip from his control at any moment.

He shoved his discomfort down and turned to leave the cave. He had other business to take care of now. But then he froze as a hideous wheezing sound filled the cavern and trailed off into a choking gasp. He looked down at what should have been the corpse impaled on the spikes beneath him but - 

Arthur was twitching weakly, grasping futilely at the stalagmite piercing his chest. He sucked in another rattling breath and coughed it out, blood dripping from his lips. 

This was - this was what he wanted, it  _ was _ , Arthur took  _ everything _ from him, it’s what he  _ deserved _ -

Lewis waved a hand and the cave vanished. Arthur dropped to the floor of the truck, choking and wheezing as Lewis approached, one hand clutching at the gaping hole in his chest. He barely seemed to notice as Lewis knelt beside him, his eyes panicked and confused but not seeming to see his surroundings.

“Arthur . . .” Lewis wasn’t sure what he was going to say next, but it didn’t matter. Arthur turned towards him at the sound, one hand reaching out blindly. Lewis flinched back slightly, and as he did, Arthur’s hand grasped his anchor. The locket slipped from bloody fingers and fell to the floor, popping open as it landed.

In a single instant every drop of rage drained from Lewis, leaving him reeling. This wasn’t - he wasn’t - everything had seemed so simple, so obvious. Now, with the rage gone, it was like his whole world had shifted on its axis. This wasn’t right, none of this was right, it never had been - what was - what was he doing? What had he  _ done _ ? His anchor cracked and then cracked again, threatening to fall apart on the spot, but Lewis barely noticed, mind whirling as his memories of the last few months rewrote themselves in horrifying clarity.

The picture in the locket looked up at him accusingly. It wasn’t just him and Vivi anymore - it never had been, had it? Arthur and Mystery had always been there. He’d loved them all, he’d - he’d almost forgotten - He tried desperately to cling to the anger he’d been so full of just moments before. Arthur hadn’t loved him, had never been his friend, he’d been jealous, cowardly, murderous -

But no, that wasn’t right. His head ached as twin memories played in his mind. He remembered Arthur sulking in the back of the van, refusing to talk to him and Vivi, except -

Now Arthur was in the backseat of the van but he was laughing, reaching over Vivi’s shoulder to mess with the radio dial, joking about getting all the leg room in the back instead of being cramped up front -

He was in Pepper Paradiso, glaring angrily back at Lewis as Vivi entered brightly, except -

No, he’d been smiling, calling back to let Lewis know that “trouble was here”, and then they’d spent the rest of the day hanging out, laughing and joking together to keep Lewis company during his shift -

Lewis reeled as dozens, hundreds of memories came flooding back. Arthur hugging him, slapping him on the back, falling asleep against him on the couch. Arthur fretting at him to be careful on investigations, panicking when he’d burned himself in the kitchen, insisting on putting a case on hold while Lewis was sick. 

The memories came back without the red tint of rage over them, and Lewis knew - _ knew _ , beyond a shadow of a doubt - that Arthur hadn’t killed him, would  _ never  _ have hurt him. How could he have forgotten that? Arthur was his best friend and he hadn’t even questioned it, he’d just blamed him, had hunted him down and tried to kill him, for God’s sake -

“L-Lew’s?” Arthur slurred through a mouthful of blood, and with sickening horror Lewis realized that he hadn’t just  _ tried _ to kill Arthur. There was - there was so much blood, it soaked Arthur’s shirt and vest and pooled on the floor around him, how could there even be that much blood in a human body - 

It wasn’t a survivable wound.

“Arthur,” Lewis breathed. He grabbed the hand that had reached out to him, the other hovering over the hole in Arthur’s chest as though he could possibly stem the blood. “Arthur no - please, just, just hold on -” 

Arthur didn’t respond. His eyes wandered vaguely around the truck, not seeing any of it. He still just looked confused, like he wasn’t quite sure what was happening even as his breath rattled in his throat and blood dripped from his lips.

“Arthur. Arthur please,” Lewis begged. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want this, I didn’t know - please, please don’t -” 

Lewis was still murmuring broken pleas when Arthur took his final shuddering breath and went still. And later, when Lance climbed into the truck to discover the scene, he wouldn’t even notice the small gray locket lying in pieces on the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We all get to write one of these, right?
> 
> My personal conspiracy theory is that something is messing with Lewis's memories/perception and that's why his eyes are never visible in his flashbacks


	5. "Take me instead"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: none  
> Relationships: Light Lewis/Vivi

“Hey! Hey dipshits!” Vivi pounded on the heavy wooden door as she yelled, fully aware that it wouldn’t make a difference. “You gotta let us out of here at some point and you’re gonna regret it when you do!” The door stubbornly refused to answer.

“Dude, they’re definitely not gonna let us out if you keep threatening them,” Arthur said. He had apparently resigned himself to waiting for their captors to return and was sitting in the corner of the storeroom, propped up against some crates.

“Well if you have a better plan, I’d like to hear it,” Vivi said primly, and then returned to banging on the door. “Hey assholes! Do you hear me? You are going to regret being born!”

The door swung open abruptly, startling her and sending her sprawling to the floor mid-pound. She scrambled to her feet, hearing Arthur do the same behind her as three men entered the room. 

The first man - the leader, if Vivi had to guess - was a thin, bald man, while the other two were bulkier and more menacing. All three were wearing dark robes and Vivi internally sighed. Another cult then. Great. She clenched her fists as the bald man surveyed them, wondering if they should make a break for it while the door was open. Before she could decide though, the man spoke. “Take the boy,” he said, and turned to leave. 

She heard Arthur’s soft intake of breath behind her and stepped back to plant herself squarely in front of him. “Absolutely not,” she said. “What do you want with us?” 

The man paused, turning back towards her. “Of course, my apologies,” he said politely. “It is my great honor to inform you that one of you will be the keystone whose blood will welcome the Great Lord Dar’alath into this world.”

Vivi took a second to parse this and then glanced back at Arthur, matching his look of wide-eyed shock with one of her own. “You’re - going to sacrifice us?” she asked. 

“That - that’s crazy. You know that’s crazy, right?” Arthur added. “People know we’re here, they’re looking for us! Not to be cliche or anything but like, you literally won’t get away with this.” 

“That won’t matter once the Great Lord has ascended to his power,” the bald man said. “I don’t expect you to understand what an honor this is, but rest assured that your sacrifice will be for the greater good of all.” 

Vivi resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Fucking _ cults _ .

“So please,” the man continued. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be.” He motioned for his lackeys to grab Arthur, but Vivi stepped forward before they could. 

“Alright, then take me instead. I’ll go,” she said. The bald man glanced at her briefly, then shrugged.

“Very well.” 

“Wh - no!” Arthur said, pushing forward to stand next to Vivi. “Don’t - don’t take her. I’ll go.” Vivi could feel him shaking against her but he stood his ground, glaring defiantly at the men in front of them. Vivi spoke up again before any of them could make a move. 

“No, I’ll do it. I’m probably a better sacrifice anyway,” Vivi said, thinking fast. She was still pretty sure she could get them out of this, but if she couldn’t - well. She was the leader. She brought them here, and she wouldn’t let Arthur suffer for her mistakes. Not again.

“Wait, what?” Arthur said from beside her. “You think you’d be a better sacrifice than me?” 

The tension in the room shifted suddenly as Vivi glanced over to Arthur, and she shrugged. “I mean, maybe? The magic has probably gotta be worth a little extra boost, right?”

“I will have you know I’d make a perfectly good sacrifice, thank you very much,” Arthur said in tones of absolute outrage. “Just because we can’t - can’t all have magic powers -” 

“I didn’t say you wouldn’t be a good sacrifice! I’m just saying, it’s a magic ritual, it makes sense that having a magical target would help!” Vivi said defensively. 

“Having magic powers doesn’t make you a better sacrifice, how would that even work -” 

“I don’t know, but it couldn’t hurt! And there’s no reason I can’t be the sacrifice either way, I don’t see why you get to have dibs on it -” 

The bald man cleared his throat and Vivi and Arthur both looked up in surprise, having entirely forgotten his presence. “I am pleased to see that you have recognized the honor placed upon you,” he said, looking between the two of them uncertainly. “But there’s no need to fight. There’s no reason you can’t both hold this most esteemed position.” 

“Okay but like, which one would be better? The magic would help, right?” Vivi asked. Arthur scoffed. The bald man blinked in confusion. 

“All are equal in the eyes of the Great Lord Dar’alath,” he proclaimed, but he seemed a lot less sure of himself than he had a few minutes ago. 

“Ha! I told you!” Arthur crowed. “Just because I don’t have fancy magic powers doesn’t mean I can’t be a perfectly good sacrifice!” 

“I’m not saying you wouldn’t be! I’m just saying -” 

“In any case!” The bald man said, raising his voice a little to cut through the argument. “We are running out of time. Both of you follow me, and -” He was cut off by an explosion of purple flame from down the hallway, and he and the other two all froze, staring back down the corridor in confusion and fear. 

“Oh, good timing!” Vivi said brightly, and punched the bald man in the face as hard as she could. He went down hard and she slipped past his lackeys while they were still too stunned to move, waving down the hallway. “Lewis! Hey Lewis! C’mere, we need you for something!” 

A hand closed roughly on her shoulder and spun her around to face one of the nameless lackeys, who was ineffectively trying to look angry instead of afraid. “Alright, I don’t know  _ what’s _ going on here, but you -” He froze, his face draining of all color as his eyes fixed on a point behind her. 

Vivi whirled around, beaming, to find Lewis standing menacingly behind her. He was doing his best to look intimidating, and in ghost form his best was extremely good. “Babe, hey! Hey, answer a question for us -” 

Arthur shoved his way to the door, sending the bald man to the floor again just as the second lackey was helping him back up. “Lewis! Lewis, tell Vivi that I’d be a great ritual sacrifice!” 

“Shut up! I didn’t say - ugh. Lewis, who’d be a better sacrifice, me or Arthur?” 

“Sacrifice?” Lewis repeated. The expression on his skull blackened. “That’s what the ritual we found was? They were going to sacrifice you?” Wisps of purple flame started to flicker around him as a palpable aura of rage filled the room. He fixed his eyes on the three men now huddled together behind Arthur and every one of them blanched, expressions of sheer terror on their faces as they backed into the corner of the storeroom.

“Yeah but that’s not the point,” Vivi said. 

Lewis shot her an incredulous look. “Not the point? How is that not the point?” 

“No, the point is that Vivi thinks she would be a better choice than me and that’s obvious bullshit,” Arthur said. 

“No, listen - Lewis calm down, we’re fine and you’re making it hot in here - okay look,” Vivi said. She stepped forward and pulled the storeroom door shut, locking it firmly with the cultists inside. “We’ll deal with them later, we’re focusing on important things right now. Lewis, who would you pick to be a ritual sacrifice, me or Arthur?” 

The menacing aura in the air dissipated and the temperature dropped several degrees as Lewis looked between them in absolute bewilderment. “Neither? Is this a trick question?”

“Vivi,” Mystery said, trotting by without stopping. 

“HA!”

“Wh -  _ that doesn’t count _ ! He’s biased!” 

Lewis looked at them for a moment longer before finally losing the last of the tension in his frame, relaxing back into exasperated fondness. “You two have some messed up priorities, you know that?” 

“It’s called having pride babe,” Vivi said, reaching up to peck him on the cheek. “Thanks for the save though, I think this is one argument that should stay hypothetical.” 

“Sure, that way you don’t have to admit that you’re wrong,” Arthur groused. “How’s the rest of the place looking, are we clear now?” 

“Oh yeah, we should be good,” Lewis said. “Mystery’s just checking out the last couple rooms. Although Vivi, you might want to take a look at some of the stuff we found, I think you’ll find it interesting -” 

He launched into an explanation as the three of them headed out, another case safely closed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look it's not all doom and gloom, sometimes it's just whatever I think is funny


	6. Insomnia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: None  
> Relationships: Slight Lewis/Vivi

“Lewis?” 

Lewis startled away from the window he’d been staring out of, arms windmilling wildly as he tried to catch his balance. Then he remembered that he was, in fact, no longer bound by the laws of gravity and simply floated upright, trying to look like he meant to do that. “Wh - yes - Arthur? What are you doing up?” 

“Why wouldn’t I be? What time is it?” Arthur asked in confusion. Lewis had to do a quick double take at the clock on the TV to make sure he hadn’t somehow lost track of time. 

“. . . Arthur, it’s 3 am.” 

“It’s what?!” Arthur ran a hand through his hair, staring perplexedly at the clock. “. . . huh. I could’ve sworn it was only five the last time I checked.” 

“Working on another project?” Lewis said. He tsked at Arthur, who had the decency to look at least a little ashamed. “I swear I’m gonna put your workshop lights on timers. Lights out at eight pm so you remember to sleep like a normal person.” 

“Yeah well, your plan has a flaw, genius,” Arthur said. “You’re shit at wiring and I’m the one you usually ask to do electrical work for you.” 

Lewis considered this. “So would you -”

“No.” 

“Hmm,” Lewis said. He eyed Arthur’s disheveled form disapprovingly. “Are you at least going to go to bed now?” 

“Geez, mom,” Arthur groused. “Hey, wait a minute. What are you doing up? Shouldn’t you be in bed too? Or - shit, wait, do ghosts even sleep? Oh man, probably not huh?” 

Sometimes Lewis was glad of his new built-in poker face. God knows he’d never had one while he was alive, Arthur would have seen through him in an instant. Instead, he just shrugged nonchalantly. “I can . . . sort of sleep, I guess? Close enough anyway. I usually don’t bother though.” 

“Huh,” Arthur said. Good, it didn’t seem like he caught Lewis’s wince. “Do you ever like . . . miss it though?”

“Not really,” Lewis lied. “Why waste the time, right? May as well be up doing something if I don’t have to sleep.” 

“Yeah, I can see how glaring out the window all night is a better use of your time,” Arthur said dryly. 

“Hey! I was - thinking!” Lewis said. “Something you should try one of these days,” he added, sniffing sanctimoniously. 

Arthur laughed. “I do, but then you get mad and tell me to go to bed!”

“Then try thinking during daylight hours, genius,” Lewis said. He paused. “Seriously though. Go to bed. You look like a wreck.” 

“Gee, thanks,” Arthur said, but it was undercut by the massive yawn he was failing to stifle. “Alright, alright, maybe you’ve got a point. I’ll see you tomorrow - or later today, I guess.” He turned to go but paused by the hallway door. “Are you sure you’re okay though? You seem a little - off, I guess.” 

Damn it. So much for his poker face. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little distracted, I guess.” 

Arthur looked doubtful but seemed to accept this explanation. “Alright then. Just . . . let us know if you need anything, you know?”

Lewis smiled, warm and genuine. “Yeah, I know. I’ll see you tomorrow, Arthur.” Arthur returned the smile and, after one last glance in his direction, departed. 

Lewis sighed heavily, immediately feeling the loss of company as a heavy silence settled over the room once more. Before his death, he’d never thought about how long and lonely the night was when there was no one to share it with. Now, he was reminded of it every night. 

He briefly considered watching TV, but if he had to watch another late-night drama interspersed with infomercials, he might go crazy. He could play video games, but he didn’t really feel like playing anything alone right now and besides, he wouldn’t want the noise to wake Arthur or Vivi. Another night of re-reading manga then, it appeared. 

He sighed, thinking wistfully of all the nights he used to spend curled up with Vivi, safe and warm and asleep. He’d really taken it for granted. And the worst thing was, he could still do it. As he’d told Arthur, he could sleep after a fashion. It wasn’t quite the same, but it was close enough, and it would have been a pleasant way to while away the lonely nights.

But what he hadn’t told Arthur -  _ wouldn’t _ tell Arthur, or Vivi - was that he could still dream in that state. Vividly, as a matter of fact. But he only ever dreamt of one thing. 

The terror of falling. The absolute agony of landing. The blood, and the distant screaming. And then the silence and the absolute, bone-crushing knowledge that he was alone. Dead, and completely alone. 

Lewis shuddered and stood up. No, he wouldn’t be sleeping. Not tonight. Not ever, if he could help it, no matter how much he hated waiting out the darkness. But maybe tonight, he’d go read in Vivi’s room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I swear it was 5pm the last time I looked" is my constant mood


	7. Poisoning

“Vivi,” Lewis said. “Vivi, come on, you gotta stay with me. Wake up, _ please _ .” 

Vivi didn’t answer. Her shallow breaths rasped in her chest - were they getting shallower? They were definitely getting slower. They were almost out of time -  _ Vivi _ was almost out of time. 

“Come on Vi,” Lewis pleaded, shaking her gently. “Come on, they’re - they’re almost back, Arthur and Mystery will be back any minute but you have to hold on, okay?” Vivi didn’t stir.

Lewis would never forgive himself for missing the early warning signs. The way she’d been so tired, not at all her usual energetic self. The way she went to bed earlier and earlier, claiming she was wiped out from work and just needed a good night’s sleep. He hadn’t noticed anything truly amiss until the day she’d walked into the kitchen, greeted him, and collapsed to the floor. 

Lewis had panicked, but of course Vivi had treated it with her usual bullheaded optimism. She’d insisted she was fine, that it was nothing to worry about, and had made fun of him for his worry. 

The next day, she hadn’t been able to get out of bed. 

It hadn’t taken them long to discover the source of the problem - a curse, triggered during their last case, meant to feed on a person’s life force. There had been a flurry of activity from all four of them as they hurried to find a spell that could undo such a thing, and then to find the necessary components, some of which were quite difficult to obtain. And throughout it all, Vivi had just been . . . fading. 

At the beginning, her optimism had remained unbounded, declaring that she was sure they would have this solved in no time. But she was losing energy so quickly. She slept more and ate less. She had to take a leave of absence from work, and soon had to give over the bulk of the research to Arthur and Mystery as she woke less and less, more disoriented and unfocused with each passing day. And the whole time, Lewis had been absolutely powerless to do anything except watch as the love of his life died by inches in front of him. 

She hadn’t woken up in hours now, despite his best efforts. She looked so tiny like this, quiet and still in a way she never was, even in sleep. Lewis honestly forgot just how small she was - she was normally so vibrant and joyful that it radiated out, an almost physical sensation that magnified her presence. He adored that about her, the way she filled any room she was in.

He didn’t know what he would do if she - if they -

“C’mon guys,” he murmured, glancing out the window in desperate hopes of seeing Arthur’s van. “Hurry up. Please.” His grip tightened around Vivi’s hand. “ _ Please _ .” 

Around his position at Vivi’s bedside, a variety of spell components had been carefully laid out. The spell was primed and ready to go the second Arthur and Mystery got back with the last piece, which would - please, _ please,  _ god willing - be any minute now. It had to be enough. It  _ had _ to be. 

Lewis looked out the window at the empty street again, Vivi’s slow, quiet breaths the only sound in the silent house, and waited.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At the rate I write I'll be lucky to finish this by next February but I've already committed myself to this hell of my own devising, so here we are


	8. Identity Reveal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: None  
> Relationships: Mentioned Lewis/Vivi

“Th - that was crazy. This is crazy,” Arthur said, staring in shock at the ruin of what used to be the Kingsmen Mechanic’s junkyard. Huge swathes of earth had been ripped up, the withered remnants of Shiromori’s vines still coiled in thorny heaps. Old cars and heaps of machinery had been smashed apart effortlessly by Mystery’s possessed form and now lay in scattered pieces across the yard.

Mystery, although no longer possessed, was still in kitsune form, not having the energy to put his glamour back on. He sprawled across the ground, unconscious but alive, head resting in Vivi’s lap. Vivi, similarly exhausted, had one hand wrapped across her abdomen and the other buried in Mystery’s fur.

“You!” Arthur continued, pointing at Mystery. “You tried to kill us! And you!” he switched his accusing finger to Vivi, “where did you even get a sword!” Vivi grinned up at him, spirits somehow undampened even after the brutal fight. 

“And _you!"_ he said, voice dropping in fury. Lewis froze in the act of kneeling next to Vivi, stunned by the absolute venom in Arthur’s voice. “Get away from her! Who the hell are you?” 

“You know who I am!” Lewis protested hotly. He returned his attention to Vivi, only for Arthur to roughly shove him backwards. Lewis went sprawling to the ground. He glared up at Arthur, rage spiking as his murderer - his best friend? - stood above him, hands clenched into fists, trembling with exhaustion and rage and fear but refusing to back down. 

“Arthur, whoah,” Vivi said in alarm, scrambling to her feet. Mystery huffed in displeasure as he was dislodged, although he didn’t wake fully. “Hang on, this guy was helping us, what’s going on?” 

“Yeah, after he tried to kill us,” Arthur spat. “Who’s to say he’s not gonna try again now that the bigger threat is gone? He’s the one who ran us off the road in the first place!”

Lewis winced as Vivi’s attention snapped to him, pulling himself to his feet. “I did,” he admitted. “But I would  _ never _ hurt you Vivi. Please, you have to believe me.”

“Believe you? You could have killed us! I’m pretty sure you gave me a concussion!” Vivi said, scowling, rubbing one hand over the sore spot on her head. Lewis felt his non-existent stomach drop. It was true. He’d been so focused on not letting Arthur get away that he didn’t consider the consequences of his actions, and Vivi had gotten hurt because of it. Because of him.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I am. That was . . . not my intent. But . . . you’ll see why I did it soon.  _ Won’t _ she, Arthur?” 

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, but if you’re not gone in the next ten seconds I’ll exorcise you myself,” Arthur said. 

“Arthur, what the hell?” Vivi said, at the same time Lewis said “I’d like to see you try.” They looked at each other, Vivi giving him a sharp glare that Lewis knew was an unspoken warning to shut up.

“Arthur, what’s gotten into you?” Vivi said, switching her attention back to the blonde. “I know he was chasing us before, but he did help us with Mystery, and he seems calm enough right now. We should hear him out before doing anything rash.” 

“He’s lying to you,” Arthur said, and Lewis was shocked to realize that tears were gathering in his eyes. “He tricked me earlier. He - he almost killed me, Viv, if Lance hadn’t gotten there when he did, he would have - I -”

“He’s the one who’s lying!” Lewis shouted. He felt his hands burst into flames, causing everyone else to flinch back, and with a monumental effort he reigned his emotions in, dousing the flames. He couldn’t let Arthur get away with this. This was his one and only chance to tell Vivi, to  _ warn _ her, and he could not afford to let his temper get away from him again. 

“He’s the one who’s lying to you,” he said again, forcing his voice to stay level. “Vivi, please. Arthur is dangerous. He  _ killed _ me.” 

“ _ What? _ ” said Vivi and Arthur at the same time, looking at him with twin expressions of shock. Arthur was a good actor, he’d give him that. 

“Okay, maybe you were right,” Vivi said to Arthur. “This guy’s got some issues.” 

“I know you don’t want to believe it. Trust me, I didn’t either,” Lewis said. “But Vivi . . . you know me. I know you don’t remember, but you do, and I wouldn’t lie to you.” With an effort, he forced his form to change, projecting himself as he had been in life. With one hand, he removed his anchor from its spot on his chest and held it out towards her beseechingly. “It’s me, Lewis. I can show you, if you’ll let me.”

He didn’t even see Arthur move. One second he was entirely focused on Vivi, on the hesitation in her eyes, and the next he was back on the ground, illusion collapsed and his skull literally spinning from a surprisingly impressive right hook. Arthur stood in front of him, fists clenched, tears streaming down his face. 

** _"You’re not him!"_ **

Lewis shot to his feet, a murderous look on his face as he advanced on Arthur. Somewhat to his surprise, Arthur didn’t even flinch, glaring back at him with equal force. Lewis paused as Vivi recovered from her shock and stepped up beside Arthur, clearly prepping for another fight despite her exhaustion.

“You’re not him,” Arthur repeated. “Don’t you - don’t you  _ dare _ use him like that. Don’t you  _ dare." _

“What, too afraid of what you’ve done to face the consequences of your actions?” Lewis hissed. “I’m the same Lewis you killed, Kingsmen, and I’m here to make sure you won’t get away with it any longer.” 

“What are you _ talking _ about?” Arthur exploded. “I would never have hurt Lewis, not ever. And he would  _ never _ have hurt us!”

Lewis paused, taken aback by the absolute conviction in Arthur’s voice. He stopped and, for the first time since running the van off the road earlier that evening, really looked at Arthur. 

He looked - exhausted. Beneath the fury in his expression, Lewis could see the bags under his eyes, the gaunt cast to his face. He was definitely thinner than Lewis remembered, and - the metal arm. Had he really not even stopped to wonder when Arthur had lost a limb?

“Lewis would rather have died than hurt either of us,” Arthur continued, apparently unaware of the scrutiny. “H-he was my best friend, he would _never_ hurt me. And he wouldn’t have fucking _ever_ put Vivi in danger. Don’t you fucking dare come here, wearing _his face_ , trying to say you’re _h-him_ , when you’re trying t-to kill us!” 

Arthur was shaking with palpable fury now. Had Lewis ever actually seen Arthur angry? Not like this. Not anywhere close. And for the first time, Lewis began to doubt himself. Arthur wasn’t this good of an actor. And . . . he was right. 

If you had asked him before he died, he would have told you that he wouldn’t,  _ couldn’t  _ have hurt Arthur no matter  _ what _ he did. And Vivi - god, he’d known Vivi was in the van. That should have stopped him in his tracks. Why didn’t it? Why hadn’t he stopped to consider, even once, talking to Arthur? Why had he been so eager to jump to killing him? 

The image from his locket jumped to his mind, unbidden. He had loved Arthur, every bit as much as he had loved Vivi. He could never have imagined Arthur betraying him like that. He still couldn’t imagine it, to be honest. Maybe . . . maybe he didn’t have the full picture.

And if that was true, then he had just tried to murder his best friend for no reason. 

“You’ve overstayed your welcome,” Vivi said, her face an icy mask. Lewis took an instinctive step backwards; he  _ had _ seen Vivi this angry before and it didn’t bode well for him. 

“Vivi . . . I -” he tried. 

“Leave.  _ Now," _ she said, eyes blazing. “Because if I have to make you, it’s gonna hurt a hell of a lot more.”

He looked between them once more. Vivi’s disdainful glare gave away nothing. In contrast, he could practically see the anger and grief and sorrow pouring off of Arthur. He couldn’t do this right now. He was too confused, too exhausted. He couldn’t risk saying or doing the wrong thing. 

“This isn’t over, Kingsmen,” he warned with a final glare as he let his form fade from mortal view. But the threat lacked the assured confidence he’d started the night with. 

Something here was wrong, and he intended to find out what it was once and for all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let Arthur Be Angry 2k21


End file.
